Having a heated pool is amazing, but it can also be expensive. Depending on the type of fuel that you use, heating an outdoor pool can cost anywhere from $2500 to $10 000 per year.
The most cost-efficient and environmentally friendly option available is getting a solar-powered electric pool heater. This innovative system uses the energy from the sun to charge a battery that keeps your pool warm at a fraction of the cost of other fuels.
How Does Solar Pool Heating Work?
To understand how a solar pool heater functions, let’s look at the fundamental components of the system:
- Pump: Pumps circulate water through the collector, filter, and back into the pool.
- Filter: Before pumping water to the collector, the filter removes any dirt and debris from the pool water.
- Solar Collector: Water passes through this component and is heated before being pumped back into the pool.
- Flow Control Valve: These devices control the amount of water that flows through the collector. They can either be manually or automatically controlled.
With this system, the water in your pool is kept consistently warm or cool (depending on your preference), all by using the power of the sun.
Selecting The Right Solar Pool Heating System
Purchasing a solar pool heater can be an expensive investment. Before you purchase and install solar heating systems, check the following factors to determine if this type of system is right for your pool:
- Your site’s solar resources: The effectiveness of a solar heater depends on the quantity of solar energy that gets to your pool.
- Your required size: Your pool size, collector efficiency, average regional temperatures, desired pool temperature, and swimming season will determine the minimum size of your solar pool heater.
- Potential places to mount your collector: Your collector needs to be mounted in a place that gets plenty of sun and that is close to the pool.
- Your chosen system’s thermal performance rating: A thermal rating is measured in megajoules or Btu per square meter. Check the heater’s thermal performance rating to determine how efficient it will be at heating your pool.
- Cost comparisons: To compare the total cost of buying a solar pool heater versus your current solution, look at the collector’s thermal rating, the number of collector panels needed to heat the pool, and the total installation cost.
- Potential installation costs and maintenance: Consider how much it will cost to install your solar pool heater and perform any potential maintenance that the unit will need in the future. Do you need building permissions to install it? Is it going to interfere with other systems in your pool area?
Installing A Solar Pool Heating System
Solar pool heating systems are fairly complex and expensive, so it’s best to have your unit installed by the manufacturer or another professional. Attempting to do it yourself may result in damage to your unit or a drop in its potential efficiency.